Improved car-coupling



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GEORGE S. ACKER, OF KALAMAZOQASSIGNOR TOHIMSELF AND i H. A. LACEY, OF DETRIT, 'NICHIGAN.

Lette/rs Pate-ut No. 83,124, dated October 2U, 1868.

IMPRO'VED CAR-C VOUPLING.

The Schedule referred to :In these Letters Patent and making part; of the same.

Towhom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, Gnonen S. Aoknn, of Kalama zoo, in the county of Kalamazoo, and State of Michiattached to platforms of railway-cars which are in sec-A tion.

Figure 2 is a` sectional view, longitudinal, of my device, on the line x x, fig-1.

Figure 3 isa bottom view of my uncoupling-device closed.- and holding the link.

Figure iis a bottom view ofthe same open, showing the position of the link' ready to uncouple.

Like letters indicate like parts in' each ligure.

The object of this invention is to construct a device for coupling railway-cars together by which a saving of .life may be had, by preventing the necessity of the operator standing between the cars to couple them, that will so hold one end of the link that,in' case of accident, and in certain positions, the connection of the cars wouldbe instantly severed, thereby preventing one caroi the track from drawing off those connected with it.

In order to accomplishthis end,'I,construct the draw-bar A, provided withdnw-bar head B, of any suitable form to suit the attachments hereinafter described. v

To the sides of the draw-bar A, 'and between the sides thereof, I pivot the levers'G, the opposite ends of which are connected by a short rod or bolt, which passes through the-eye of the link-pinl), which swings freely upon said rod or bolt.

To the head of the pin D, or to the ends of the levers G, near the head of the pin, I attach the chain E, which ,I lead to a winch, F, which may be placed upon the platform G, or attached to anyv convenient part of a car; or the winch may even be-done `away with entirely; and the chain be attached to any con-A vement part of the car, where it may be easily reached by the operator.

The link-pin D should be long enough to project both above and below the opening, H, inthe draw-bar head B, through which the connecting-link I passes.

By raising the pin, by means of thefchain, with 'or without the windlass, the levers C are Yraised to a vertical position, with the link-pin. suspended vertically between them, and the link, being by this movement disengaged from the pin, passes freely from the drawbar, through the opening H. Then, by releasing the chain, the levers fall to a nearly horizontal position,

against any proper stop, which may be attached to the draw-bar, while the-pin hangs suspended vertically, immediately in the rear of the opening H,1in such a manner that its ends proj ect above and below said opening, and obtain a resistance against the inner side of the draw-bar head.

The link I, entering the opening H in the head B, forces back the lower end of the pin, which is suspended, as hereinbefore described, until the end thereof will pass the end of the link, when the pin falls lto place, and the coupling is complete.

'To uncouple the cars, when one or more of them have left the railroad-track, and have deiiected there- "from at an angle of about forty-five degrees, I construct two plates, J and K, held and fastened together by the thmble L, which, being hollow, allows the pin'D to pass through it, and hold the plates in their place Within the end of the draw-bar head.

lThe plate J is smooth upon its upper face, and turnsV freely upon the thimble L, which, in turn, also turns upon the link-pin.

The plate K is provided'with hasp M, rigidly attached thereto, which projects downwards, and engages with the under side of platev J, to prevent spreading of the -two plates. Plate K is'also smooth upon itsunder side, and is provided with a proper channel, of suffi-A cient depth to contain the end of the link, as shown at N, in fig. 4,- which represents a bottom view of the device open, so that the link, by its own weight, will drop out of the4 channel,- thereby` uncouplingV the cars. v

When this device is .in position, it resembles gs. 1,

2, and 3, and acts as a coupler forI one end of the link, whilel the device rst hereinbefore described performs the same duty for the opposite end of the link.

Should anyT car assume a position, relative to an adjoining car, of an angle of about forty-five degrees,

the link being coniined inthe channel in the plate K,

partially turns the same upon the thimble L, until the entire lilik andchannel no longer rest upon the plate J, when the link drops out of the channel,`thereby uncoupling the cars.

This device will be found very useful to prevent one car of a train, which may accidentally leave the track,4

nel N, in connection with the link I, and pin D, and.

draw-bar A, when arranged and operating substantially as and for the purposes set forth;

GEORGE S.' AOKER. Witnesses:

G. C. HYDE, H.F..EBnnTs. 

